Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-12-11
BULL-FIGHTING.
Scenes in the City of
Mexico.
POPULARITY OF THE SPORT
Some No ed MatadOrs Who Have
Ben GOrrd to Death in
the Ring.

every San lay ant on all least days
In one Of these rings Ponciano Diaz,
the local favorite appears, and in the
other the company OF Spanish bull
lighters give tieir entertainments
Both rings are always crowded. The
Spaniaris arc very expert in their
business, and the foreign colonists
usually admire their style more than
.hat OF the Mexican toredors.
Ponciano Diaz. VIII is certainly the
most popular man in Mexico, is re-
markably handsome, and is so pleas
ing in manner that the populace GO
wild whenever he steps into the ring.
He has increased his popularity by
giving several benefits in which the
entire proce dis of the performances
have been given to charitable pur-
poses. One Of these benefits in aid
of the striking cigarette girls drew to-
gether the largest crowl ever seen in
Mexico, and the gate receipts, which
amounted to several thousand dollars,
we're Immediately turned over to the
girls. BY Just such acts as this Pom
ciano Diaz has become known through
out Mexico, AMI even the street
gamin shouts for "Ponciano' when
ever lie iiiissos; along the streets. He
has also risen rapidly in wealth, and
from being u poor ranchero u few
wears ago has amassed a fortune esti
mated at ,mething more than 500,
900.
Diaz was born in 1858 on the Haci-
enda do Atenco, in this State, and at
an early age became noted for his
magnificent horsemanship. There
WAS no animal ON the hacienda too
wild for him to manage, and he soon
learned to perform on the backs of
these untaned steeds the same feats
which he had witnessed in circus
rings. He also commenced | urning
the art OF bull-tightiug, and male his
first appearance in the ring at Pueblo
in April, 1870 Since then Poncianos
career has been Il continued series of
successes, and he has gained both for
tune and fam in his profession. He
il regarded as one of the most skillful
matadors in the world, and h teats
of horsen,anship in the bull-rins have
never been equaled by any one. One
Of his favorile acts is, while mounted
bareback on fiery steed, to insert the
bandarillo1 into the shoul lers of the
charging bull The skill required to
perform thi, dangerous feat can hard
ly be appreciated without witness
ing it.
Leaving aside the natural admira-
tion which the skill and daring of II
man like Diaz inspires, bull-fghting
is the most brutal sport OF modern
times. The bull is not harmless
animal, which can be slauy yhtered
easily in the ring. The apparent
ease with which the death blow is
given by the mataior causes many
people to suppose that the feat is at
tended by little, if any, danger; but
to those who are familiar With the
art OF bull-tighting it is known that the
utmost skill is required, and one false
step means almost instant death.
Tho record OF the ring show Il long
list OF Casualties, and it seems to be IL
matter of certainty that the most ex
pert b fighter will eventual y fall II
victim to some inluriated animal. He
is destined to meet Il horrible fate in
plain view OF the same crowd which
has so OF en- appaudad his bloody
deeds, and once borne bleeding and
dying from the ring, his very name is
soon forgotten.
Within very short time number
of accidents have occurred in the
rings of this city, nut no one keeps II
record OF them, and the crowd which
assemblies to witness one fight have
forgotten all about the casualties OF the
previous one.
One of the most terrible deaths oc
curing here WAS that of Bernardo Ga
vino, IL Spanish torero, who, while
appearing bei, re a large audience in
the rexcuco ring, was caught by the
bull whi h he was to kill AID was
transfiXed against TIL. wall inclosiny
the ring. He died in short time OF
hem,rrhage.
A few weeks Carlos Lopez, (El
Manchad0), II noted bandarillo, had ii
most remarkable escap from death in
the Plaza de Colon. He was caught
upon the h rms OF an unusually Y fierce
bull and WAS carried around the ring
several times before he cou Il be re-
leased. The horns of the bull had not
pierced his bod but had passed be-
tween the body and the silk sash
which he wore around his waist, and
in this perllous position he was
whirled and tossed around until
finally released by the parting of the
sash. He was badly bruised but not
seriously injured.
Among the horrible accidents which
have befalen noted bull-fighterI may
be mentioned that of the Bandarillo
L.agares, who was tossed upon the
horns of a bull ana SO badly inj rred
that he coul'l not recover, and after
lingering for nearly year secured re-
lief ftom his snfferings by committing
suicide. He stabbed himself with one
Of the very swo, ds he had used in his
famous fights in the ring.
The celebrated Cuchares, after en-
countering many accidents, was
finally caught upon the sharp horns
Of one OF his furious antagonist and sc
firmly held there that he was carried
around the ring many times before he
could be released in dying condition
Fernando 'iomez, one OF the most
noted bandarrilerio, was pierced
through an through Just as he was
in the act of putting in the bandar.
rillos, and many other instances o
the same kin have occurred. Ever
Pociano Diaz, with all his skill
has already lost one finger
of his left hand and has
narrowly a escaped death seversl t;uos
1t is often the case that the matadol
can escape death in no other way thar
by throwing himself fiat upon the
ground and allowing the hull to pas.
over him. preferring to be tramplet
under foot rather than be gored.
II hull-fghting is fatal to men it
doubly so to the poor horses who ART
forced to be unwilling participants il